From Jeanne Hagreen 2/21:
<<the majority of our local docs (including ALL of our
pediatricians) do not believe that clipping the frenulum will do
anything to improve the latch, believing the frenulum will lengthen
with time.  All of this while the mom is in incredible agony and may
even develop sore, cracked nipples.  We have developed a relationship
wherein they agree I can let them know the baby has a short frenulum,
but I can't expect them to do anything about it.  Some of the local GPs
are more amenable to suggestions of clipping the frenulum - indeed, some
come up with it themselves.>>

Have you shared with them some of the articles from JHL about tongue-tie?
That has usually worked for me, unless the doc is arrogant and unwilling to
consider new information.  I've been working at this for a while now, but
here it's basically a non-issue.  I've also had good luck with newer docs
by giving them Evelyn Jain's video to watch.  And if some of your GP's clip
frenula, can't you refer the moms to them?  I know one has to be careful in
this area, but if I run into a physician who won't clip, mom just has the
procedure done by one who will.  Having mom report back to the original
doctor that the little snip made a HUGE difference in her baby's ability to
breastfeed and her comfort may convince a recalcitrant doc that maybe what
he/she learned in med school isn't quite right.

I appreciated Barbara-Wilson Clay's suggestions for positioning (2/22) when
parents don't want to pursue the frenotomy.  (Usually these are parents who
have already had their baby boy circumcised without a moment's thought!!!)
If they are strongly resistant we don't ever push it because one can never
be sure that the snip will fix all the latch problems.  If parents are
reluctant but unsure we also offer them Dr. Jain's video to take home and
watch--usually this is immensely reassuring and they go ahead and have it
done.

A review of Dr. Jain's video and ordering information can be found in the
December 1996 JHL for those that are interested.

Anybody ever hear anything about the survey on tongue-tie from Stanford
that some of us got last summer???

Becky Krumwiede, RN, IBCLC, Appleton, Wisconsin
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